Carding machine



March 14, 1967 H. K. CULPAN 3,308,511

CARDING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1964 '7 Sheecs--She 1 i INVENTOR:

I HARRY $4. CU LPAN ATTORNEYS March 14, 1967 H. K. cuLPAN CARDING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1964 INVENTOR C u PAN VM Y DN E A H ATTORNEYS March 14, 1967 H. K. CULPAN CARDING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 16, 1964 HARRY K. CUINLEOR:

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ATTORNEYS March 14, 1967 H. K. cuLPAN CARDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 16, 1964 INVENTOR." HARRY K. CULPAN ATTORNEYS March 14, 1967 H. K. CULAN CARDING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 16, 1964 March 14, 1967 H. K, CULPN 3,308,511

cARDING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1964 7 sheets-Sheet e I 'H I l Q 'I f I INVENTOR;

@Nm HARRY K. CULPAN a@ s 5 a @e SQ@ g wwmwggww ATTORNEYS March 14, 1967 H. K. CULPAN CARDING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1964 United States Patent 3,308,511 CARDING MACHINE Harry K. Culpan, Johnsonville, S.C., assignor to Wellman Industries, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 352,174 6 Claims. (Cl. 19-105) This invention relates to an improved carding machine for producing carded webs and/or slivers at high speeds.

It is an important object `of this invention to provide an improved carding machine capable of producing a carded web of good quality at very high speeds and having a novel licker-in arrangement for feeding textile fibers to the main cylinder wherein two rotating licker-ins with cooperating divider rolls are so arranged as to open and straighten the fibers efiiciently before they are received by the main cylinder and at speeds heretofore believed to be unattainable.

In order to produce carded webs of good quality, the fibers must be opened so as to straighten or parallelize them as they are fed to the main carding cylinder. The opening of the fibers Should be a gentle action to avoid damaging the fibers. Also, the more gradual the opening process the more open and straight the fibers become. In the case of carding cotton or wool, the more effective the opening of the fibers before they are detached from the licker-in by the carding cylinder, the more efficient is the cleaningl of the fibers.

Heretofore, carding machines either have been equipped with a single licker-in or with three or more licker-ins for opening and feeding fibers to the main cylinder. In order to have the fibers sufiiciently open and parallel when a single licker-in is used it must rotate at a slow speed so the very rough action of the teeth of the licker-in will not weaken and shorten the fibers.

When three or more licker-ins are employed, as in carding wool and lsynthetic fibers, the quality of the web or sliver being produced is improved because of the additional opening and straightening actions to which the fibers are subjected before they are transferred to the main cylinder. However, it is impractical to increase the surface speed of a main carding cylinder to any eX- tend above the usual established speed because of structural limitations thereof and, since a substantial amount of draft, usually about 2 to 1 or more draft, must be irnparted to the fibers as they transfer from each licker-in to the next and from the linal licker-in to the main cylinder rotating at its established speed, it follows that the speed of the first licker-in of the three or more must be very slow and therefore the feeding of stock to the first lickerin must be very slow.

As stated above, the licker-in arrangement of this invention not only improves the quality of the carded material, but it increases substantially the volume of stock which may be carded in a given amount of time. To my knowledge, two licker-ins, no more and no less, have never been used for opening and feeding fibers to the main cylinder of a carding machine. Since only two licker-ins are employed, the licker-in arrangement of this invention is a valuable adjunct to the building of high speed compact carding machines of substantially lesser length and height than conventional carding machines.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a carding machine of the character described wherein the two licker-ins and the divider rolls are so arranged that the fibers fed to the back licker-in are divided and portions thereof are transferred to the front licker-in at two or more points while being drafted therebetween so the fibers are subjected to two or more opening and straightening operations between the two licker-ins. Further, the fibers transferred to the front licker-in are divided and transferred to the main cylinder at at least two f lCe spaced points so they are subjected to at least two more drafting operations and at least one more working operation.

About equal amounts of fibers may be transferred at each said point so that, although an abnormally large volume of fibers is fed to the licker-in, only about half of the volume lof fibers is transferred at each said point and since the fibers are drafted at least four times, they are disentangled and opened to a high degree by the time they are deposited on the main cylinder and, therefore, the production capacity of the carding machine is increased considerably without necessarily increasing the surface speed of the main cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved simplified drive for the carding machine wherein sprocket wheels and endless chains or pulleys and endless belts are largely employed for transmitting rot-ation between corresponding cylinders and rolls so as to obviate the use lof intermediate gears, a large number of which have been used heretofore on conventional carding machines.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a carding machine wherein the shafts which support the clothing-covered cylinders and rolls thereof project suI stantially equal distances outwardly from opposed ends of each cylinder or roll so that the clothing may be applied thereto with its teeth or points facing either clockwise or counterclockwise, when viewed from one end of the cylinder or roll, and a cylinder or roll may be repositioned `on the machine with the clothing facing the required direction without requiring alteration of the driving elements to 'be connected to the shafts.

Another object is t0 provide a novel modular frame construction enabling assembling, storing, repairing and/ or shipping the licker-in section, the main and dotfer cylinder section and the calender or web-detaching section of the machine independently of each other, but which sections may be readily interconnected. The modular frame construction also facilitates easy installation of .a second main and doffer cylinder section between a first main and doffer cylinder section and the web detaching section in the event a dual carding machine is desired.

Some of the objects of the invention having beenstated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a left-hand side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the improved carding machine of the present invention; l

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken substantially along line 2 2 in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is -a somewhat schematic longitudinal vertical sectional view through the carding machine showing the nath of travel of fibers through the machine;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of the right-hand side of the carding machine;

FIGURE 5 is a left-hand side elevation similar to FIG- URE l, but omitting the driving connections between various rotating elements of the machine;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view 4of the carding machine lookingl at the top of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 7 is an elevation looking at the right-hand end of FIGUR-E 1 and the left-hand end of FIGURE 4 showing the rear or feed end of the carding machine;

FIGURE 8 is an elevation looking at the left-hand end of the carding machine in FIGURE 1 and the righthand end thereof in FIGURE 4 and showing the front or egress end of the carding machine.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the improved carding machine includes first and second lickerins or licker-in cylinders 10, 11, a main cylinder or swift 12, a doffer cylinder 13 and a pair of calender rolls 14, 15, all of which are arranged in series from the rear to the front of the machine (FIGURES 1 and 3 8). Cylinders 10-13` may be of conventional hollow construction and are fixed on respective shafts 20-23. Calender rolls 14, 15 are fixed on respective shafts 24, 25. A feed apron 26, embodying any suitable feeding means, directs textile fibers to bottom and top licker-in feed rolls 30, 31, with which a feed clearer roll 32 is associated, for feeding the fibers to the first 1ickerin llti which, in turn, directs bers to first and second divider rolls 33, 34 and to the second licker-in 11, as will be later explained in detail.

Divider roll 34 may be arranged to serve as a ti-ghtener roll and is positioned in the arc beneath and closely adjacent first and second licker-ins 10, 11. Divider roll 33 is positioned in the arc above and between licker-ins 10, 11. A third divider roll 35 is positioned beneath and in cooperating relationship with second licker-in 11 and main cylinder 12 so that some of the fibers are transferred from the second licker-in 11 to main cylinder 12 by divider roll 35 while others of the fibers are transferred directly from second licker-in 11 to main cylinder 12.

Main cylinder 12 is equipped with` workers and strippers including a first stripper roll 36, a rst worker roll 37, a second stripper roll 38, and a second Worker roll 39V arranged in that order above the main cylinder 12. Rolls 30-39 may be of hollow construction or, in the case of the feed rolls 30, 31 and feed clearer roll 32, for example, they may be of solid construction, as desired. Rolls 30-39 are fixed on respective shafts 40-49.

Novel means are provided, as will be later described, for rotating the cylinders and rolls of the carding machine so bottom feed roll 30', first licker-in lil, main cylinder 12, first divider roll 33 and bottom calender roll 14 rotate in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURES l, 3 and i.e., so the upper portions of the cylinders and rolls 10, 12, 14, 30 and 33 move in a forward direction. Cylinders 11, 13 and rolls 31, 32 and 34-39' are driven to rotate in a clockwise direction in FIGURES l, 3 and 5. Each cylinder -13 and roll Sti-39 is covered with a suitable metallic clothing 55.

The points of the teeth on the clothing 55 of cylinders 10-12 and rolls 32-36 and 38 point toward the direction of rotation of thecorresponding cylinders and rolls. The points of the teeth of the clothing S5 on doffer cylinder 13 and rolls 30, 31, 37, 39 face or point toward the direction opposite from that in which they are rotating.

Opposed end portions of each of the shafts 20-23 and 40-49 project outwardly substantially the same distance from opposite ends of each cylinder and each roll 10-13 and 30-39. This enables the positioning of driving eiements; i.e., Vsprocket wheels and pulleys, adjacent either side of the carding machine on the shafts of the corresponding cylinders and rolls regardless of which end of a particular cylinder or roll may be fading toward a corresponding side of the machine. Thus, rolls or cylinders of the same diameters may be interchanged, in most instances, and the position of rolls or cylinders may be reversed end-for-end in order that the teeth of the card clothing face the correct direction when the cylinders and rolls are installed. This permits winding the card clothing 55 on each roll or cylinder in either direction Without regard for the direction the metallic clothing was wound previously on any particular roll.

Cylinder shafts 20-23 and bottom feed roll shaft 4d are journaled in respective pairs of bearing blocks 69464 carried by left-hand and right-hand main side frame members, broadly designated at 65, 65'. The lower portions of frame members 65, 65 are in the form of legs spanned by three transverse frame members 66, 67, 68a (FIG- URES 1 and 4-8). The front upper portions of side frame members 65, 65 are spanned lby a transverse frame member 69 suitably secured thereto.

Each side frame member 65, 65 is of modular construction to facilitate assembling the licker-in section, the main cylinder section and the front web-detaching section of the carding machine independently of each other, not only for storage, shipping and replacement purposes, but so that a second main cylinder and a second doffer cylinder may be attached to the front ends of the side frame members 65, 65' with the web-detaching section then being positioned forwardly of the second doffer cylinder, in the event an operator wishes to convert the carding machine shown in the accompanying drawings into a dual carding machine. To this end, the side frame mem-bers 65, 65 include respective rear 0r licker-in frame sections 71), 70, intermediate or main cylinder frame sections 71, '71 and front er web-detaching frame sections 72, 72.

The licker-in frame sections 70, 76 support cylinders 10, 11 and rolls 30-35, main cylinder frame sections 71, 71' support cylinders 12, 13 and rolls 3639, and webdetaching frame sections 72, 72 support calender rolls 14, 15 and a trumpet and doffer comb assembly to be later described. The upper surface of the rear portions of intermediate frame sections 71, 71 are positioned on a higher level than the front portions thereof, and the upper surfaces of rear frame sections 70, 70', front frame sections 72, 72 and the front portions of intermediate sections 71, 71 may be positioned on substantially the same level.

The front and rear ends of the respective rear and front frame sections 70, 70', 72, 72'-are suitably remov ably secured to the rear and freut ends ofthe corresponda ing intermediate frame sections 71,- 71' in abutting rela'- tion thereto, such as by means of bolts, screws and/or tie plates. t will be observed in FIGURES 4 and 5 that bearing 'anchor bars 63, 68 are adjustably secured to the upper surfaces of and extend longitudinally of sections 70, 70 of side frame members 65, 65' for supporting bearing blocks 60, 61 and other adjacent elements thereon, the bearing blocks 64 being suitably secured directly to the upper surfaces of the rear portions of frame sections 70, 7d'. Bearing blocks 62, 63 are fixed directly in the corresponding upper portions of intermediate sec tions 71, 71'. i

Shafts 41-49 of rolls 31-39y are journaled in respective pairs of bearing blocks 73-81 (FIGURES 5 and 6). The beaning blocks 73, 74 at each side of the machine are adjustably secured to a common standard 84 and each bearing block 75 is adjustably secured to a standard 85.- Standards 84, are suitably secured to th rresponding anchor bars 63, 68 of side frame members 65, 615. Bearing blocks 76, 77 also are adjustably secured di# rectly to anchor bars 68, 68' (FIGURES 4 and 5).

The portions of intermediate frame sections 71, '71' straddling the lower portion of main cylinder 12 have respective arches 86, 86 suitably secured thereto 'and ein' tending upwardly therefrom (FIGURES 1, 4, 5,- 6 and 8) Whose upper surfaces are generated about the axis of shaft 22 and main cylinder 12 and correspond suba' stantially to the periphery of the closing 55 on maint cylinder 12. The bearing blocks 78-81 are adjustably secured to the corresponding arches 86, 86'. The manner in which the bearing blocks 64 and I3-81 are secured to corresponding fixed parts of the frame of the carding machine in order to effect accurate adjustment thereof may 'be in accordance with that in which the bearings for supporting rolls of conventional cardin'g machines are mounted and, therefore, a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The carded fibers may be removed from the doffer cylinder 13 by any suitable web-detaching means such as dofiing rollers or a doffer comb, as is conventional.- In this instance, the carding machine is equipped with a doffer comb 90 (FIGURES 1, 3, 5 and 6) carried by arms 91 fixed to a rocker shaft 92, one end of which is journaled in a bearing block 93 adjustably secured to' section 72 of side frame member 65. The other end of rocker shaft 92 is journaled in a gear box 95 suitably secured to section 72 of side frame member 65' and having` suitable mechanism therein, not shown, for reciprocating rocker shaft 92 and thereby to reciprocate dotfer comb 90 in a well-known manner. The gear box 95 has an input shaft 96 extending outwardly therefrom.

As the carded web leaves doffer cylinder 13, it may be condensed through a trumpet 97 carried by transverse frame member 69 and which directs the sliver thus formed between calender rolls 14, 15. Calender rolls 14, 1-5 are relatively short and the shafts 24, 25 thereof are journaled in a pair of standards or calender roll brackets 102, 102 suitably secured to a medial portion of front transverse frame member 69. Shaft 24, being of greater length than shaft 25, extends outwardly and a medial portion thereof also is journaled in a bearing block 103 suitably secured to front transverse frame member 69.

Drive mechanism One end of main cylinder shaft 22 (FIGURES 4, 6, 7 and 8) has a pulley 111 fixed thereon engaged by an endless belt 112. Belt 112 may be driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor 113 having a pulley 114 thereon which also is engaged by belt 112. The other end of main cylinder shaft 22 has stepped pulley 115, 116, 117 fixed thereon which may be formed integral with each other and any one of which may be engaged by an endless belt 120 (FIGURES 1, 6 and 8). Endless belt 120 also engages a wide pulley 121 keyed or fixed on a sleeve 131 journaled on a stub shaft 122 mounted for substantially vertical adjustment on a bracket 123 (FIG- URE 2). Bracket 123 is fixed to section 71 of side frame member 65 and its outwardly projecting lower portion has a vertically extending slot 124 therethrough penetrated by a reduced threaded portion 125 of stub shaft 122.

A nut 126 secures stub shaft 122 in the desired adjusted position so that a change gear 127, mounted on a medial portion of sleeve 131, may be maintained in engagement with a relatively large gear 130 fixed on doffer cylinder shaft 23. Pulley 121 is sufficiently wide so that belt 120 may be positioned on any one of stepped pulleys 115, 116, 117, as desired (FIGURES 1, 6 and 8).

To facilitate further the positioning of endless belt 12) on selected stepped pulleys 115, 116, 117, a medial portion of the upper run of belt 120 is engaged by an adjustable idler tension pulley 133 journaled on a stub shaft 134. Shaft 134 may be adjustably secured to a bracket 135 in the same manner in which stub shaft 122 is secured to bracket 123. Bracket 135 is suitably secured to section 71 of side frame member 65.

Doffer cylinder gear 130 (FIGURE 1) also engages a gear 137 fixed to or formed integral with a sprocket wheel 140. Gear 137 and sprocket wheel 140 are mounted on a stub shaft 141 adjustably secured to a bracket 142 fixed to an interconnecting sections 71, 72 of side frame member 65 (FIGURES 5 and 8). Although bracket 142 is shown in FIGURE 5 as being of somewhat different shape than bracket 123, shaft 141 may be adjustably secured to bracket 142 in the same manner in which shaft 122 is adjustably secured to bracket 123.

Sprocket wheel 140 (FIGURE 1) is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 144 which also engages a relatively small sprocket wheel 145 fixed on one end of calender roll shaft 24. Thus, belt 126 transmits rotation from main cylinder shaft 22 to doffer cylinder 13 and calender rolls 14, through intervening connections heretofore described. By exchanging gear 127 for a gear of another size, it is apparent that the speed of doffer cylinder 13 and calender rolls 14, 15 may be changed to change the production of the carding machine.

A suitable idler s-procket wheel 147 journaled on an adjustable arm 150 engages sprocket chain 144 to maintain the same under proper tension. Arm 150 may be adjusta- 6 bly secured to section 72 of side frame member 65, as at 151 (FIGURES 1 and 5). The speed of doffer cylinder 13 and calender rolls 14, 15 also may be varied by changing the position of endless belt with respect to pulleys 115, 116, 117.

Licker-ins 10, 11 and associated rolls 30;-35 also are driven from main cylinder shaft 22. Accordingly, a gear 152 fixed on main cylinder shaft 22 (FIGURES 1 and 8) meshes with a gear 153 having a sprocket wheel 154 in fixed axial relation thereto. Gear 153 and sprocket wheel 154 are mounted on a stub shaft 155 adjustably mounted in a bracket 156 (FIGURE 5) in substantially the same manner in which stub shaft 122 is adjustably mounted on -bracket 123 (FIGURE 2). Bracket 156 is suitably secured to intermediate frame section 71 (FIG- URE 5).

Sprocket wheel 154 has an endless sprocket chain 15.7 (FIGURE 1) mounted thereon which also engages a sprocket Wheel 160 fixed on second licker-in shaft 21. Sprocket chain 157 is also engaged by an idler sprocket wheel 161 journaled on an adjustable arm 162 (FIG- URE 5) adjustably mounted, as at 163, on anchor bar 68 of rear frame section 70. The other end of second licker-in shaft 21 (FIGURE 4) has a gear 165 fixed thereon which engages a gear 166 in fixed axial relation to a sprocket wheel I167. Gear 166 and sprocket wheel 167 are mounted on a stub shaft 170 adjustably secured to a bracket 171 in substantially the same manner as that in which stub shaft 122 is adjustably secured to bracket 123. Bracket 171 is suitably secured to anchor bar 68 of rear frame section 70.

An endless sprocket chain 173 engages sprocket wheel 167 and a sprocket Wheel 174. Sprocket wheel 174 is -fixed on the corresponding end of first licker-in shaft 20. The end of shaft 20, adjacent frame section 70 (FIG- URES 1, 6 and 7), has a sprocket wheel 175 fixed thereon (FIGURE 6) which is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 176 mounted also on a sprocket wheel 177 (FIG- URES 1 and 7). Sprocket wheel 177 and a sprocket Wheel 178, fixed in axial relation thereto, are mounted on a stub shaft 180 adjustably secured to a bracket 181 (FIGURES 1 and 5) in substantially the same manner in which stub shaft 122 is secured to bracket 123 (FIGURE 2). Bracket 181 is suitably secured to section 70 of side frame member 65 (FIGURE 5).

An endless sprocket chain 183 engages sprocket wheel 178 and a sprocket wheel 184 (FIGURES 1 and 7). Sprocket Wheel 184 is fixed on lone end of bottom feed 'roll shaft 40. Intermeshing gears 185, 186 are fixed on corresponding end portions of shafts 40, 42 adjacent the right-hand side frame member 65. It will be observed in FIGURE 7 than the ends of shafts 40, 41 adjacent side frame member 65 have intermeshing gears 190, 191 fixed thereon. It is thus seen that rotation is transmitted directly from main cylinder shaft 22 to second licker-in 11 through intervening connections shown in FIGURE `1 and that rotation is transmitted from the licker-in 11 to first licker-in 19 and, thence, to feed rolls 30, 31 and feed clearer roll 32.

In order that the torsional stresses effected by driving feed rolls 30, 31 and feed clearer roll 32 may be equally applied to opposed ends of corresponding shafts 40, 41, 42, it will be observed in FIGURES 4, 6 and 7 that the end of shaft 20' adjacent side frame member 65 transmits rotation to corresponding ends of shafts 40, 41, 42 in the same manner as that described for the other ends of shafts 40, 41, 42. Accordingly, elements adjacent side frame member 65 corresponding to those adjacent side frame member 65 which transmit rotation from licker-in shaft 20 to feed rolls 3ft, 31 and feed clearer roll 32 will bear the same reference characters with the prime notation added and a repetitive description thereof will no be given.

It will be observed in FIGURE 7 that shaft 41 is shorter than the shafts 20, 40, 42, 43, 44 shown in this view to provide clearance for the intermeshing gears 185, 186, 185', 186. However, opposed end portions of shaft 41 project outwardly from corresponding ends of top feed roll 31 substantially equal distances so the clothing 55 may be wound thereon with the teeth thereof facing in either direction and either end of top feed roll 31 may face toward one of the sides of the machine, and the points of the teeth of the card clothing still may be positioned to face away from the direction of rotation of top feed roll 31.

The end of shaft 40 adjacent side frame member 65 has a sprocket wheel 195 (FIGURES 1 and 6) fixed thereon which is engaged by a sprocket chain 196 for driving the feeder embodied in apron 26 of FIGURE 5 in a manner well known in the art. Referring to FIG- URE 6, it will be observed that the end portion of first licker-in shaft 20 adjacent left-hand side frame member 65 has two sprocket wheels 200, 201 fixed thereon adjacent sprocket wheel 175 which are engaged by respective endless sprocket chains 202, 203. Sprocket chains 202, 203 also engage respective sprocket wheels 204, 205 (FIGURES 1 and 6). Sprocket wheel 205 is spaced forwardly from sprocket wheel 201 and is positioned in xed axial relation to a smaller sprocket wheel 206 engaged by an endless sprocket chain 207. Sprocket chain 207 is also mounted on a relatively large sprocket wheel 210 fixed on one end of first divider roll shaft 43 (FIGURE Sprocket wheels 205, 206 may be mounted on a stub shaft a adjustably secured t-o a bracket b (FIGURE in substantially the same manner in which stub shaft 122 is secured to bracket 123 (FIGURE 2). Bracket b is suitably secured to anchor bar 68 on side frame member 65. An idler sprocket wheel 211 (FIGURE l) may be adjustably mounted in the same manner as sprocket wheel 161 so as to engage and maintain tension in sprocket chain 207.

Sprocket wheel 204 is spaced below first licker-in shaft 20 (FIGURE 1) and is positioned in fixed axial relation to a relatively small sprocket wheel 212. Sprocket wheels 204, 212 are mounted on a stub shaft 213 adjustably secured to a bracket 214 (FIGURE 5) in substantially the same manner as that in which stub shaft 122 (FIG- URE 2) is secured to bracket 123. Bracket 214 is fixed to anchor bar 68. Y

Sprocket wheel 212 is engaged by an endless sprocket chain c which extends forwardly and engages a pair of idler sprocket wheels d, e. Wheels d, e are adjustably mounted soas to maintain the lower run of sprocket chain c in engagement with the upper portion of a large sprocket wheel 215 fixed on divider roll shaft 44 (FIG- URE l). Sprocket Wheel d may be adjustably mounted on a bracket 216 (FIGURE 5) in the same manner as that in which `sprocket wheels 204, 212 are mounted on bracket 214. Bracket 216 is fixed to anchor bar 68.

Shaft 44 (FIGURE l) has a sprocket wheel 220 fixed thereon and engaged by an endless sprocket chain 221 which extends forwardly and also engages a sprocket wheel 222 fixed on third divider roll shaft 45. An idler sprocket wheel f may be provided for maintaining tension in sprocket chain 221. Sprocket wheels e, f are mounted on respective stub shafts g, h adjustably secured to a common substantially vertically slotted bracket 224 (FIG- URES 1 and 5) suitably secured to section 70 of side frame member 65. Stub shafts g, h may be adjustably mounted on bracket 224 in substantially -the same manner as the shown in FIGURE 2. It is thus seen that front licker-in shaft 20 transmits clockwise rotation (FIGURE 3) to second and third divider rolls 34', 35 and transmits counterclockwise rotation to first divider roll 33 through vthe intervening connections previously described.

engaged by an endless sprocket chain 226. Chain 226 extends upwardly and rearwardly at an angle and engages a sprocket wheel i mounted on a shaft k carried by arch 86. A sprocket wheel Z also is mounted on shaft k in fixed axial relation to sprocket wheel i.

Sprocket wheel l and a sprocket wheel 227 are engaged by an endless sprocket chain 230 fixed on first worker roll shaft 47. Worker roll shafts 47, 49 have respective sprocket wheels 231, 232 fixed thereon which are engaged by an endless sprocket chain 233. Sprocket chains 226, 230, 233 may be engaged by respective idler sprocket wheels m, n, o for maintaining them under proper tension. Sprocket wheels m, n, o may be adjustably mounted on the arch 86 in the same manner in which idler sprocket wheel 161 is mounted on anchor bar 68 of side frame member 65. Therefore, a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Referring to FIGURE 4, it will be observed that stripper rolls 36, 38 and doffer comb 90 may be driven by connections with main cylinder shaft 22 positioned adjacent side frame member 65. Accordingly, stripper roll shafts 46, 48 have respective pulleys 236, 23S fixed thereon which are engaged by an endless belt 240, one reach of which engages and partially encircles a relatively large pulley 241 fixed on the corresponding end of main cylinder shaft 22 (FIGURE 4). Belt 240 extends downwardly below pulley 241 and is mounted on and idler pulley 242 positioned in fixed axial relation to another idler pulley 243.

Pulleys 242, 243 are mounted on a shaft 244 carried by a bearing block 246 vertically adjustably mounted on a guide block 247 carried by the leg of frame section 71 of side frame member 65'. Pulley 243 is engaged by an endless belt 250 which extends upwardly and forwardly in FIGURE 4 and is mounted on a pulley 254 fixed on input shaft 96 of gear box 95 to impart reciprocatory motion to doer comb 90.

Assuming that electric motor 113 drives main cylinder shaft 22 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURES l, 3 and 5 and in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 4, it is apparent that first licker-in cylinder 10, bottom feed roll 30, first divider roll 33, main cylinder 12 and bottom calender roll 14 are driven to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 3 while the remaining cylinders and rolls rotate in a clockwise direction in FIG- URE 3.

It is thus seen that the cylinders and rolls of lthe machine are driven largely by sprocket and chain connections and in those instances wherein gears are employed only two intermeshing gears are required to effect a drive connection between driving and driven elements. Thus, the use of intermediate gears is obviated which facilitates manufacture, maintenance and change-over of the Vmachine, as for example, when changing the type of stock to be processed thereon, with a minimum of time and cost.

In a prototype carding machine manufactured accord-1 ing to the present invention, all the cylinders 11-13 and rolls 30-39 were approximately 49 inches long, although the length thereof may be varied on different machines, as desired. The diameter of main cylinder 12 when used for a compact carding machine, may be about 30 to 40 inches covered with Ztl-gauge (US. Standard) metallic clothing, and it may be rotated at 225 to 275 r.p.m. (revolutions per minute). Speeds in excess of 275 r.p.m. are considered impractical from the standpoint of `safety and economy in construction and maintenance of the carding machine.

The main cylinder 12 of theV prototype machine was about 30 inches in diameter and was driven to rotate at about 234 r.p.m. with a consequent surface speed of about 22,054 i.p.m. (inches per minute). Although the speed of the main cylinder 12 was not in excess of that of the cylinders of conventional carding machines, the use of two licker-ins and associated divider rolls according 9 to this invention has increased greatly the production capacity of the carding machine of the present invention as compared to known conventional carding machines. For example, a prototype carding machine, having cylinder and roll diameters and speeds substantially as appear l@ and to serve as a tightener roll maintaining the sandwiched fibers in engagement with the lower portion of licke-in 11. Since the clothing on roll 34 then would be facing iii the same direction as, Ibut moving in the 5 opposite direction from, the clothing on second licker-in in the table below, produced up to 400 pounds of carded 11 at the juncture thereof, the fibers would remai on lS-denier synthetic fibers per hour. To may knowledge, and be tightened against second licker-in 11. prior art carding machines have a maximum production Third divider roll 35 functions in the same manner as of about 150 pounds of stock per hour. first divider roll 33 to attenuate and transfer fibers from The cylinder and roll diameters, the revolutions per second licker-in 11 to main cylinder 12 at a point preminute and surface speeds in inches per minute of the ceding the point at which main cylinder 12 receives and cylinders and rolls, and the gauge of metallic clothing used attenuates the fibers from licker-in 11. Also, the fibers for each cylinder and roll of a prototype machine appear are worked in their passage between feed rolls 30, 31 and in the following table by way of example only: licker-in 10. l

Reference Diameter Gauge of Name of Calender Roll Numeral in Inches Rpm 1.p.m C(l%tlir)1g 1st Linker-in 10 20 7s. 97 4,959 24 2nd Lieker-1n 11 20 175. 50 11,027 24 swift. 12 30 234. 00 22, 054 20 Dauer 13 20 30.00 1 885 24 Calender Ro 14 4 Feed Rol.l 4 4.00 50. 28 24 D0 31 4 4. 00 50, 28 24 Clearer Roll 32 4 4. 00 50. 28 24 1st Divider 33 12 10. 78 406.10 20 2nd Dividen 34 12 7. 42 270. 5s 2s 3rd Divider.. 35 12 7. 42 279. 5s 2e 1st str as 7 530. 00 11, 792 28 1st Worker 37 12 15. 00 565 28 2nd stripper 3s 7 536. 00 11, 792 2s 2nd worker 39 12 15. 0o 565 2s By comparing the surface speeds of cylinders 10, 11, 12, it will be noted that the fibers are subjected to a draft of two or more as they pass between licker-ins 10, 11 and from licker-in 11 to main cylinder 12. Feed and clearer rolls 30, 31, 32 have been operated satisfactorily at speeds up to about 8 r.p.m. and 100 i.p.m. without increasing necessarily the speed of main cylinder 12, although the speeds of at least licker-ins 1f), 11, doffer cylinder 13 and calender rolls 14, 15 were increased accordingly.

In operation, fibers received from feed apron 26 (FIG- URE 3) are fed to first licker-in 10 by feed rolls 30, 31 as clearer roll 32 assists in laying the fibers on licker-in 10 and carries excess fibers back to feed rolls 30, 31. The proximity of the clothing 5S on first divider roll 33 to the clothing 55 on first licker-in 10 may be such that about half or a substantial portion of the fibers are stripped from first licker-in 10 by first divider roll 33 as its clothing moves in the opposite direction from the clothing on second licker-in 11.- Divider roll 33 rotates at approximately one-third the surface speed of second lickerin 11 so there is a gradual transfer of fibers from roll 33 to licker-in 11. Considerable straightening of the fibers occurs at this point because licker-in 11 combs the fibers while detaching them from first divider roll 33. Thus, the portion of fibers transferred to first divider roll 33 is transferred to second licker-in 11 at a point in advance of the juncture of licker-ins 10, 11 and the remaining fibers are transferred from licker-in 10 to licker-in 11. The fibers are subjected to a draft of at least two at each of the transfer points.

The sandwiched fibers move downwardly beneath and in engagement with second licker-in 11. The second divider roll 34 operates to work and transfer about onehalf or a substantial portion of the fibers from second licker-in 11 back to first licker-in 10 for further working in substantially the same manner as first divider roll 33 transfers fibers to licker-in 11. Although fibers are transferred back to licker-in 10, the volume of stock fed by feed rolls 30, 31 need not be reduced.

If desired, second divider roll 34 may be turned endfor-end and spaced out of fiber transferring relationship to licker-in 10, by adjusting bearings 76 (FIGURES 4 Since the fibers are straightened, disentangled, opened and drafted at least four times in their course from .feed rolls 3f), 31 to main cylinder 12, and only two licker-ins are employed, a very large volume of fi-bers may be fed to feed rolls 30, 31 and transferred to main cylinder 12 at high speeds in well opened condition so that only the single main cylinder 12 and the two sets of stripper and worker rolls 36-39 are necessary in order to form a well carded web of high quality Ias it is doffed :from doffer cylinder 13 by doffer comb 90, and to form a sliver of highly parallelized and straightened fibers with a minimum of curled fibers or wads therein as the web is condensed through trumpet 97 and passes between calender rolls 14, 15.

It is apparent that the carding machine of the present invention is capable, therefore, of producing a web or sliver of carded stock at high speeds which is of better quality than has been attainable by any prior art carding machines of which I am aware.

Using the aforementioned prototype machine, various synthetic textile fibers, such as 6-denier to l8-denier nylon, Acrilan and Orlon and other fibers such as waste wool, spinners laps (cleaned wool) and rayon have been carded and formed into slivers of various weights which were of very high quality and at speeds up to 400 pounds of stock per hour.

Another advantage in the use of two licker-ins 10, 11, no more and no less, and associated divider rolls is that the carding machine produces considerably less y and waste than the known prior art types of carding machines due to the much greater opening and combing of the stock prior to its contacting the main cylinder 12 at high speed. Also, since licker-ins 10, 11 and divider rolls 33, 34, 35 open the stock efiiciently at higher speeds than have heretofore been attainable, to my knowledge, and even though a substantially greater volume of stock is fed to the main cylinder by means of feed rolls 30, 31 and licker-ins 10, 11, the stock carried by main cylinder 12 is of substantially lesser thickness thereon than it is when fed to a main cylinder in a conventional manner, thus greatly improving the effectiveness of the working of the stock by the worker and stripper rolls 36-39.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, al-

though specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not lfor purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a carding machine having .a frame, first and second serially arranged licker-in cylinders, means for -feeding fibers to said first licker-in cylinder whereby fibers are transferred from the first to the second licker-in cylinder, a third, main, cylinder arranged to receive fibers from said second licker-in cylinder, rand means for driving said main cylinder; improved means for transmitting rotation from said main cylinder to said licker-in cylinders comprising a first pair of wheels in fixed axial relation to the respective second and third cylinders, one of said first wheels being a first gear and the other of said first wheels being a first sprocket wheel,

a second gear journaled on said frame and meshing with said first gear,

a second sprocket wheel in fixed axial relation to said second gear, a first endless sprocket chain engaging said first and second sprocket wheels and thereby rotating said second cylinder in the opposite direction from that of said third cylinder,

a second pair o'f wheels in fixed axial relation to the respective first and second cylinders, one of said second wheels being a third gear and the other said second wheels being a third sprocket wheel,

a fourth gear journaled on said frame and meshing with said third gear,

a fourth sprocket wheel in fixed axial relation to said fourth gear, and -a second endless sprocket chain engaging said third and fourth sprocket wheels and thereby rotating said first cylinder in the opposite direction from that of said second cylinder.

2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein said first and third gears are in fixed axial relation to said main cylinder and said second licker-in cylinder, respectively, and wherein said rst and third sprocket wheels are in fixed axial relation to said second and first licker-in cylinders, respectively.

3. A structure according to claim 1, in which said means for feeding fibers to said first licker-in cylinder comprises a pair of lower and upper feed rolls closely adjacent the periphery of and rearwardly of said rst licker-in cylinder and between which fibers pass to said first licker-in cylinder, and a clearer roll above said upper feed roll and cooperating with said upper feed roll and said first licker-in cylinder to carry excess fibers back to the feed rolls; means transmitting rotation from the first licker-in cylinder to said rolls comprising a pair of fifth and sixth sprocket wheels fixed in axial relation to each end of said first licker-in cylinder and said bottom feed roll, respectively,

a pair of seventh and eighth sprocket wheels fixed in axial relationship and journaled on said frame adjacent each end of said first licker-in cylinder,

a third endless sprocket chain engaging said fifth and seventh sprocket wheels adjacent each end of said first iicker-in cylinder,

a fourth endless sprocket chain engaging said sixth and eighth sprocket wheels adjacent each end of said first licker-in cylinder,

said sixth and seventh sprocket wheels each being of .substantially greater diameter than said fifth and eighth sprocket wheels,

a pair of intermeshing fifth gears fixed in axial relation to the respective lower feed roll and clearer roll, and

a pair of intermeshing sixth gears fixed in axial relation to the respective lower and upper feed rolls whereby the lower feed roll is rotated in the same direction as, but at a substantially slower angular speed than, said first licker-in cylinder, and said clearer roll and said lupper Kfeed roll are rotated in the opposite direction from that of said first licker-in cylinder.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including a pair of licker-in shafts on which the respective licker-in cylinders are fixedly mounted, and wherein said frame comprises a pair of laterally spaced elongate side frame members for said licker-in cylinders, means adjustably supporting said licker-in cylinders on said side frame members comprising an elongate bearing anchor bar secured for longitudinal adjustment to the upper portion of each side frame member and underlying corresponding ends of said lickenin shafts, and a pair of bearing blocks secured upon each anchor bar and in which Vcorresponding ends of said licker-in shafts are journaled whereby said lickerin cylinders may be adjusted unitarily with adjustment of said anchor bars longitudinally of said side frame members and toward and away from said main cylinder.

5. A structure according to claim 4, wherein said fourth gear is journaled on said frame by means, of a bracket secured to one of said anchor bars whereby, upon unitary adjustment of said licker-in cylinders with said anchor bars, said fourth gear and said fourth sprocket wheel will be adjusted unitarily with said licker-in cylinders to maintain the meshing relationship between said third and fourth gears while also maintaining fixed centerto-center distance between said third sprocket wheel and said fourth sprocket wheel during such adjustment.

6. A structure according to claim 5, including a divider roll located above and between the arcs of said licker-in cylinders for working and transferring fibers from said first licker-in cylinder to said second licker-in cylinder, bracket means secured to each anchor bar and extending upwardly therefrom yand on which opposite ends of said divider roll are journaled whereby said divider roll will remain in a predetermined position relative to said licker-in cylinders upon yadjustment of said licker-in cylinders with said anchor bars, land means including at least two sprocket wheels and va corresponding endless sprocket chain for transmitting rotation from said first licker-in cylinder to said divider roll, there being one of the latter sprocket wheels fixed in axial relation to said first licker-in cylinder and there being another of the latter sprocket wheels fixed in axial relation to said divider roll.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 490 9/ 1857 Walton 19-105 611,108 9/1898 Drury 19-1'50 1,880,670 10/1932 Bates 19-99 2,619,682 12/1952 Varga 19-157 2,949,645 8/ 1960 Noda 19--105 FOREIGN PATENTS 982,144 6/ 1951 France.

2,217 12/ 1877 Germany. 152,944 7/ 1902 Germany.

6,629 1834 Great Britain. 281 1857 Great Britain. 647,246 12/ 1950 Great Britain. 713,080 8/1954 Great Britain. 451,277 9/ 1949 Italy.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

DORSEY NEWTON, Examiner. 

1. IN A CARDING MACHINE HAVING A FRAME, FIRST AND SECOND SERIALLY ARRANGED LICKER-IN CYLINDERS, MEANS FOR FEEDING FIBERS TO SAID FIRST LICKER-IN CYLINDER WHEREBY FIBERS ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND LICKER-IN CYLINDER, A THIRD, MAIN, CYLINDER ARRANGED TO RECEIVE FIBERS FROM SAID SECOND LICKER-IN CYLINDER, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID MAIN CYLINDER; IMPROVED MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION FROM SAID MAIN CYLINDER TO SAID LICKER-IN CYLINDERS COMPRISING A FIRST PAIR OF WHEELS IN FIXED AXIAL RELATION TO THE RESPECTIVE SECOND AND THIRD CYLINDERS, ONE OF SAID FIRST WHEELS BEING A FIRST GEAR AND THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST WHEELS BEING A FIRST SPROCKET WHEEL, A SECOND GEAR JOURNALED ON SAID FRAME AND MESHING WITH SAID FIRST GEAR, A SECOND SPROCKET WHEEL IN FIXED AXIAL RELATION TO SAID SECOND GEAR, A FIRST ENDLESS SPROCKET CHAIN ENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND SPROCKET WHEELS AND THEREBY ROTATING SAID SECOND CYLINDER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THAT OF SAID THIRD CYLINDER, A SECOND PAIR OF WHEELS IN FIXED AXIAL RELATION TO THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND CYLINDERS, ONE OF SAID SECOND WHEELS BEING A THIRD GEAR AND THE OTHER SAID SECOND WHEELS BEING A THIRD SPROCKET WHEEL, A FOURTH GEAR JOURNALED ON SAID FRAME AND MESHING WITH SAID THIRD GEAR, A FOURTH SPROCKET WHEEL IN FIXED AXIAL RELATION TO SAID FOURTH GEAR, AND A SECOND ENDLESS SPROCKET CHAIN ENGAGING SAID THIRD AND FOURTH SPROCKET WHEELS AND THEREBY ROTATING SAID FIRST CYLINDER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THAT OF SAID SECOND CYLINDER. 